SAN ANTONIO – Coffee lovers are paying more for their morning cup; coffee and tea prices were already rising before recent tariffs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Yet, a retired San Antonio couple is betting on a family-run farm in El Salvador to bring single-origin beans directly to local customers.
Laura and John Flores recently launched Flor de Café, an import-export operation built on a coffee-growing tradition begun by Laura’s father, Luis Fuentes.
“My dad started working as a farm worker in his 20s. He always dreamed of owning his own finca (farm),” Laura said.
The Floreses roast three coffees: Abuelo’s (light), Finca de Papa (medium) and El Volcán (dark). The couple says the beans are single-origin — not blended or flavored — and come straight from the family farm in El Salvador.
“What makes ours different is (that) it’s single-origin. It’s not a blend. We don’t add flavoring,” Laura said.
John said the family takes pride in knowing each bean’s journey.
“We’re proud we can point to a cherry and say we’ve seen that bean in every step of the process,” he said.
The couple plans to export beans from the farm in El Salvador and sell them in San Antonio. They say tariffs between the U.S. and El Salvador are more favorable than those for some other countries and expect the business to be profitable within a year or two.
The Floreses are no strangers to new challenges. They recently retired from law enforcement in Guadalupe County after a combined 32 years of service.
Video and photos from the farm show the care that goes into each plant: seedlings are grown in pots for about nine months, then transplanted to the field and tended for roughly three years before the first harvest.
For the Flores family, the venture is about more than profit.
“A lot of people drink their coffee and don’t think about where it comes from,” Laura said.
The couple hopes their operation will build community and a connection between consumers and the farm.
Flor de Café operates a shop at The Andy on Coca-Cola Place and Houston Street, near Frost Bank Arena.